Italian Sloppy Joes

Name: Italian Sloppy Joes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed (); 1/2 cup yellow onions, diced; 1/2 cup red peppers, diced; ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste; 3 large cloves garlic, pressed; 2 cups marinara sauce (see Recipe); 1 tbsp. brown sugar; 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning; 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (only if using mild Italian sausage) (Footnote); freshly ground mixed peppercorns, to taste; 4 brioche buns; butter as needed; 4 slices Provolone cheese (substitute Mozzarella or Fontina cheese); 1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Author: Francine Lizotte

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Posted on May 19th, 2026

by Francine Lizotte

There are many fond memories from my childhood when it comes to food. Watching our parents make dinner together or teasing my father on Sunday mornings while he prepared breakfast 🍳 for all of us. There were also times when they had us try new dishes.

I had good and bad memories from eating some of their “new stuff” they made. I remember sitting for hours at the dining room table, crying and refusing to eat my French Onion Soup Gratinée – now it’s a different story… I love it 💖!

One dish that I clearly remember trying for the first time was Sloppy Joes! It was so tasty, but each bite, everything was falling off the bun. While my brother 🧑 was wolfing his down, I had a hard time enjoying it because it was messy where the word “sloppy” described it perfectly.

Here’s a thing about me…
Until my mid-thirties, I had a problem eating finger foods. Since I was a toddler, I never liked having my fingers dirty and was constantly asking my mother to wash 🧼 them. It went on like this, disliking the feeling of having dirty hands and fingers.

It was only until my girlfriends teased me while I was eating bruschetta with a fork and knife. At a snail’s 🐌 pace, I slowly started eating chicken wings with a pile of napkins next to me, and eventually, I was okay. To this day though, if my fingers are slightly sticky or dirty, I can get up numerous times to wash them…

Where were we? Yes, Sloppy Joes!
With Club Foody, not only do I get my hands dirty often when chopping 🔪 and cooking, but it also sparks my imagination and creativity. This is when, one morning, I decided to elevate this nostalgic recipe to another fabulous level of deliciousness… Italian Sloppy Joes!

Also known as Messy Giuseppes, this amazing comfort food 🥰 delivers bold Mediterranean flavors. With a gorgeous combination of ingredients and herbs, this popular North American dish received an incredible upgrade in the taste department!

From start to finish, it might take 35 minutes at the most. It’s one of those meals that can be served on weeknights as well as on weekends, or when casually entertaining your best friends! They’re also perfect for enjoying during any sporting event ⚾.

What takes the most time is the Bolognese sauce. To begin, the Italian sausage is started in a cold skillet before turning the heat to medium-high 🔥. As you know, there’s a lot of fat in these sausages and starting in a cold pan helps to render as much of it as possible. The rest is easy-peasy!

In this Italian Sloppy Joes recipe, I use mild sausage. The reason is that it gives me better control over the spices. It allows the marinara sauce 🍅 to come through without competing with the meat. Besides using my Italian seasoning, I still add some heat by using red pepper flakes.

Hot Italian sausage can still be used, but you risk overpowering the lovely flavor of the Bolognese sauce. If you serve this messy dish to kids 👧 or to those who are sensitive to spicy foods, the hot sausage will definitely cause a problem. You can also choose sweet Italian sausage, bridging the gap between the two.

I use brioche buns. Other sturdy buns can be substituted, such as ciabatta rolls, Italian hoagies, or sub rolls. The most important thing is that after the bottoms and tops are buttered 🧈, the buns need to be toasted under the broiler so they get crispy and prevent the sauce from soaking through the bread.

When filming 🎥, I completely forgot to show that after the buns are buttered, I sprinkle on some garlic salt on top. For toasting, I recommend setting the broiler on “Low” for 2 to 3 minutes. You can go on “High”, but in the blink of an eye, the buns can turn from golden to burnt, so be careful.

In my book, any sloppy joes have to be gooey so after the Bolognese sauce is spooned over the bottom buns, they need that cheesy goodness 🧀! Placing a slice of Provolone cheese wraps up these yummy sandwiches. Other types of cheese that can be great choices are Mozzarella or Fontina.

The bottom buns are transferred back under the broiler (still on “Low”), and baked until the cheese is melted and slightly starts to bubble. Some fresh chopped parsley is sprinkled on top, followed by the top buns, and… it’s time to enjoy them 😋!

This Italian Sloppy Joes recipe, also known as “Messy Giuseppes,” is the gourmet version of the classic North American Sloppy Joes. With a gorgeous, well-seasoned Bolognese sauce, this Italian-inspired twist on this comfort food elevates these sandwiches 🥪 to a delectable level of deliciousness!
Bon Appétit! 🍽

Here are more delicious sandwich recipes for you to try… 😀
– Easy Chicken Fajitas
– Egg Hot Dog Rolls • Guédilles aux Oeufs
– Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
– Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders
– Italian Pesto Panini Sandwich
– Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
– Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich
– Shrimp Sliders
– New England Lobster Rolls
and for even more sandwich recipes 🥪, click on this link… Recipe Category • Sandwiches

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